The number of adolescents in Luxembourg prisons has quintupled

The rise in juvenile crime in Luxembourg is taking an increasingly alarming turn. According to the prosecutor's office, the number of juveniles imprisoned in Schrassig prison has increased fivefold since the beginning of 2025. And just 24 hours after a high-profile case involving two juvenile thieves in the centre of the capital, authorities reported a new series of arrests, this time in the Bascharage commune, where four teenagers suspected of breaking into a residential building were arrested.

The incident occurred on Thursday, 27 November. Around noon, the police received a signal about a break-in at a private residence. The patrol arrived on the scene almost immediately, began an inspection and promptly launched a search for the suspects. Two hours later, four young men were spotted at a car parked nearby and detained on the spot.

The prosecutor's office emphasises that there are "serious suspicions" against the detainees. They are well known to both the police and the judiciary, and appear under different names in several countries. Some have already been through the Luxembourg penitentiary system. All four of them have no fixed abode, which, as the authorities emphasise, seriously complicates not only their supervision but also any attempt at social rehabilitation.

As a result of the interrogations, three teenagers were placed in temporary detention at the Luxembourg Prison Centre and the fourth was placed in a specialised juvenile facility. According to the prosecutor's office, such measures are aimed at preventing recidivism and ensuring access to the persons involved in the case during further investigations. At the same time, the need to comply with the legal framework and to organise appropriate social support is emphasised.

The worsening situation reflects a broader problem: Luxembourg is increasingly confronted with cross-border criminal gangs in which minors play a key role. The use of false documents, mobility and lack of permanent residence make them difficult to trace, and social and judicial protection systems have not yet had time to adapt to the new reality.